Hands-on with the Handstand for iPad 2

We unabashedly love the iPad and iPad 2 here at Digital Trends, but the Apple tablets aren’t without small problems. At least a couple of us have noticed that holding the iPad in your hand for long periods of time can cause a bit of wrist fatigue. The Handstand case aims to eliminate that problem by giving you a secure hold in one hand so you can easily work on the iPad with the other. Today the company launched the Handstand 2 case designed specifically for the new iPad 2. We got our hands, no pun intended, on one of the Handstand 2 cases and decided to see how well it lived up to its promises.

The case itself is relatively simple in design. The hard but somewhat flexible case protects the back and corners of your iPad without adding too much bulk. The back of the case features a round raised area that holds a protruding hand rest and an elastic strap. While the hand rest might look a little strange and bulky at first glance compared the the otherwise slim design, it actually does a great job of propping the iPad 2 up for viewing or typing. The hand rest is intended to conform to your hand’s natural tendency to rest in a curved position, making it comfortable for extended use. The elastic and hand rest combined make the case extremely secure and comfortable to use while walking around or multitasking. A 36-point indexing mechanism means that the raised circular area on the back of the case allows you to rotate the iPad to any position you might like. This is a great function for viewing media, surfing the web, or working with charts or business plans.

While iPad 2 owners who mostly use their device at home might not need the added security and mobility that the Handstand 2 offers, we see it being a valuable tool for professional use or anyone who is always on-the-go with the iPad in tow. The makers of the Handstand 2 see it being of use in medical offices, restaurants, and business meetings, and we have to agree that the case could increase the utility of the iPad exponentially in such environments. The only distinct problem that we had was getting the iPad into the case itself. It took a little elbow grease to put the case on so we wouldn’t recommend it for someone who would want to switch cases often. However, we do have it on good authority that the makers of the Handstand are making a small adjustment to the design to make this easier. The Handstand for iPad 2 is now available in black, white, or pink for $50.